I'm very happy to be here at Cuyahoga Community College. I just
had a wonderful tour with Jerry Sue Thornton and Pat Gray and Frank
Reis. Thank you all very much for the tour. And thank Larry Simpson
also for welcoming me today. I am really glad that Mayor Beryl
Rothschild is here as well.

And I'm especially happy to see Claire Rosacco. Claire was at an
"Ask President Bush" event earlier this month, and she told us about
the innovative partnerships and programs here at Tri-C. She's so proud
of your school that I just had to come see it for myself, and now I see
why Claire is so enthusiastic.

This college makes it possible for people of all ages to get the
skills and the education they need to fulfill their goals. My husband
and I strongly support your work. And the President is committed to
finding new ways for Americans to improve their lives through local
community colleges.

Community colleges can play a very large role in expanding our
economy. And the good news is, our economy is expanding.

Thanks to tax relief, we've added 1.7 million new jobs since last
August. That's more jobs than were added in Germany, Japan, England,
Canada and France combined. (Applause.)

The national unemployment rate has fallen to 5.4 percent, and home
ownership is at an all-time high. And I'm proud that for the first
time ever, more than half of all minority families in the United States
own their own homes. (Applause.)

We've been through some historic times together in the last four
years, and these are also times of change that require new ideas to
move America forward. We know that families face new challenges and
that government should respond to these changing times.

Today, in many families, both parents work full time outside of the
home. Two-thirds of all mothers now work outside of the home. And
more single parents are doing double duty alone. More entrepreneurs
are starting their own businesses, while workers are changing jobs more
often, and they're going back to school to keep up with our changing
economy.

We're also living longer and we have more opportunity than ever
before. My husband wants to make sure this opportunity is extended to
every corner of America, so that all Americans have the opportunity to
participate in an ownership society.

In New York, President Bush outlined his agenda for a new term.
Helping families face the challenges of our changing world is at the
heart of the President's plan. And all of you know -- we all know that
all opportunity starts with education.

Education reform is making an incredible difference for our
youngest students. And now we want to improve high schools by
strengthening math and science education by expanding Internet learning
so that young people can compete in our technology-driven world.

President Bush has proposed increased funding for advanced
placement courses, and new partnerships between high schools and
community colleges so that high school students can earn college
credits at the same time. And the President wants to raise the level
of teaching and learning in high schools so that graduates are prepared
for college level academic work when they graduate.

Learning doesn't end at high school and we know that, and that's
one of the reasons we're here today. Whether you're 22 or 92, learning
is life long. And in today's world, adults of all ages are going back
to school. We need to make it easier for Americans to receive
training, to earn a degree, or to take specialized courses that help
them achieve their full potential. Community colleges like this one
are a vital part of that effort.

The President is encouraging partnerships between community
colleges and neighboring employers, so that colleges can tailor
training programs to meet the local employment needs. When particular
skills are in high demand in Cleveland, the President's Jobs for the
21st Century program would make it possible for more people to come
here to Cuyahoga Community College. Preparing students for jobs that
are in high demand provides local employers with well skilled workers.
Better training improves a graduate's chances of finding a good job,
and it helps the local economy by increasing employment.

Community colleges are a vital part of a region's economic
success. This school already participates in a program with the
Department of Labor to retrain manufacturing workers in Ohio. With new
advanced training, these workers will have better opportunities in the
new job market.

One field with particularly high demand today is nursing. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics expects more than one million job openings
for nurses in the next eight years. And teachers here at Tri-C are
making sure that students are well prepared to be the nurses of
tomorrow.

I just toured the areas where nursing and paramedic students
practice their skills and learn new medical techniques. I met Steve,
the new Human Patient Simulator. (Laughter.) Steve allows students to
perform tests and measure responses as if they were treating an actual
patient. Kate Fetter has gotten to know Steve well over the last
semester -- two semesters. Kate is right here, and she is a nursing
student at Tri-C. She is also a veteran of the United States Navy.
(Applause.)

Kate, I want you to know how much the President and I and all
Americans appreciate your service to our country. (Applause.)

Kate is going to school full time and raising three children. She
says she doesn't know how she got so lucky to have a husband who
offered to baby-sit so she could go back to school. She is seizing the
opportunity and, after she graduates from Tri-C in December, she plans
to get her bachelors and masters degrees while working as a registered
nurse.

Kate finished at the top of her class in paramedics training and is
going back to nursing school to earn a better salary. She says, "Being
a nurse not only allows me to take care of people but also to take care
of the things I need to do in my own life." And, of course, her top
priority is to be able to help support her family.

Kate said convenience was a major factor in her decision to choose
Tri-C. The location was right, the price was affordable and the people
were fantastic. She is going to school with students in their 20s and
students in their 50s, with men and women from all walks of life.

All of these students are taking advantage of the flexibility that
community colleges afford. There are nighttime classes for people who
work during the day, or for those who take care of their children at
home while their spouse is at work. There are daytime classes for more
traditional students. People like Kate have a wealth of opportunities
because of the flexibility of community colleges.

My husband believes that the federal government should also be more
flexible in helping Americans get advanced education and training. The
President's budget for the new year includes a record $73.1 billion for
student financial aid. That's a 55 percent increase since he took
office. (Applause.) And he is making Pell grants more available, so
that millions more low income Americans can get a college diploma.

The President wants to make this financial aid more widely
available to meet the needs of today's students. For instance, some
industries, especially high-tech and computer-driven professions,
require workers to have advanced certificates. These certificate
programs aren't full college degrees; they are specialized training
programs that people can complete in a few months and then greatly
improve their chances of getting a better job or a better salary. I
know Tri-C offers many certificate programs.

The President wants to make college financial aid available for
students who work toward these certifications. It would be a very
smart investment in the future of America's workers and in America's
economy.

Internet-based education is also expanding rapidly. With the rise
of high-speed Internet and teleconferencing, more people are able to
take courses right at their home computer, or at an off-campus
facility. That makes it much more convenient for men and women who are
trying to squeeze college courses into their work and family
schedules.

Think about how much easier it would be if you could get college --
to get college credit if you could do your class work at home after you
put your kids to bed. Many students here at Tri-C can do that. But
now restrictions on financial aid make it difficult for people with
loans and grants to take online or distance learning courses. The
President wants to eliminate these needless restrictions so that more
Americans can benefit from the convenience of our new technology.
(Applause.)

Flexibility is really the key to meeting the demands of work and
family in today's fast-paced world. It seems that Americans are
getting stretched in every direction these days. It's hard to work 40
hours or more a week, find time to make dinners, take your father to a
doctor's appointment, attend a school play and go to a parent-teacher
conference. Yet some people are doing all that and still trying to
find time to go back to school. They have plenty of ambition and
probably a few cups of coffee along the way, too. (Laughter.)

There is no doubt that Americans need more time. The President
wants to work with Congress to make flex time and comp time more widely
available, so that people can work a flexible schedule and have more
control over how they spend the hours of their day. (Applause.)

Right now, workers in the federal government can take advantage of
flexible working schedules, and the President wants all Americans to
have this opportunity. My husband believes that government should
always be on the side of American families.

From lowering taxes to improving our schools, the President has
worked hard to benefit Americans with all the opportunities available
in our 21st century economy. And schools like Cuyahoga Community
College are important partners in that effort.

In a second term, the President will continue to bring needed
changes to government so that Americans will have the opportunity to
improve their lives. He'll also look to community colleges as vital
sources of education, training and economic development in
communities.

President Bush knows that the heart and soul of America are found
in places like Cleveland, Ohio, where people work hard and do their
best every day. (Applause.) He understands your values and he
respects your hard work. And, in fact, it inspires his work at the
White House.

George and I grew up in West Texas, where the sky seems endless and
so do the possibilities. My husband brings that optimism, that sense
of purpose, that certainty that a better day is before us to his job
every day. And, with your help, he'll do it for four more years.
(Applause.)

Thank you all so much. Thank you very, very much. Thank you for
coming out. (Applause.) Thank you all. And thank you very much, and
congratulations for your good work here. Thanks a lot. (Applause.)